Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Proverbs
Book: Proverbs
Chapter: 9
Overview:
The invitations of
Wisdom.
(1-12) The invitations of folly.
(13-18)
1-12 Christ has prepared ordinances to which his people are
admitted, and
By which nourishment is given here to those that
believe in him, as
Well as mansions in
Heaven hereafter. The
ministers of the
Gospel go forth to invite the guests. The
Call
is general, and shuts out none that do not shut out themselves.
Our
Saviour came, not to
Call the righteous, but sinners; not
the
Wise in their own eyes, who say they see. We must keep from
the company and foolish pleasures of the ungodly, or we never
can enjoy the pleasures of a holy
Life. It is vain to seek the
company of wicked men in the
Hope of doing them good; we are far
more likely to be corrupted
By them. It is not enough to forsake
the foolish, we must join those that walk in
Wisdom. There is
No
true
Wisdom but in the way of religion,
No true
Life but in the
End of that way. Here is the happiness of those that embrace it.
A
Man cannot be profitable to
God; it is for our own good.
Observe the shame and ruin of those who slight it.
God is not
the Author of
Sin: and
Satan can only tempt, he cannot force.
Thou shalt
Bear the loss of that which thou scornest: it will
add to thy condemnation.
13-18 How diligent the tempter is, to seduce unwary souls into
Sin!
Carnal, sensual pleasure, stupefies
Conscience, and puts
out the sparks of conviction. This tempter has
No solid reason
to offer; and where she gets dominion in a soul, all knowledge
of holy things is lost and forgotten. She is very violent and
pressing. We need to seek and pray for true
Wisdom, for
Satan
has many ways to withdraw our souls from
Christ. Not only
worldly lusts and abandoned seducers prove fatal to the souls of
men; but false teachers, with doctrines that flatter pride and
give liberty to lusts, destroy
Thousands. They especially draw
off such as have received only partial serious impressions. The
depths of
Satan are depths of
Hell; and
Sin, without remorse, is
ruin, ruin without remedy.
Solomon shows the
Hook; those that
believe him, will not meddle with the bait. Behold the wretched,
empty, unsatisfying, deceitful, and stolen pleasure
Sin
proposes; and may our souls be
So desirous of the
Everlasting
enjoyment of
Christ, that
On Earth we may live to him, daily,
By
Faith, and ere long be with him in
Glory.